‘Why do people become hyperactive when we mention Bhagavad Gita?’

By Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

News Trail: Whenever the BJP comes to power, it is accused of saffronisation of textbooks? Why?
BC Nagesh: Unfortunately, whenever the BJP government talks of nationalism, the charge of saffronisation is made. Any nation which wants to tell the truth has to convey real history. A nation which does not know its history cannot write the history of the future. If you see the history written by Britishers and by those who did not have any belief in our history, which one would you like to retain?

NT: Then there is no meat in what the opposition Congress is saying?
BCN: The Congress is doing this only for the sake of appeasing the minorities and consolidate its vote bank. First, let them explain what according to them is saffronisation? If we had accepted whatever the Britishers had done, then they would be happy. There is no truth in the Congress’ accusation of saffronisation. In this country, saffron colour is valued highly and is the symbol of purity and sacrifice. Is it wrong if the country is purified? Everything is being interpreted from a political angle. No one has ever declared Hindi as the national language. Just because an actor made a remark, the Congress is trying to politicise it.

NT: Why is your government bent on introducing the Bhagavad Gita as part of moral education in schools/ colleges?
BCN: One of the greatest scientists, Albert Einstein had said the Bhagavad Gita inspired him to do research. Does that mean Einstein belongs to the BJP? Why do these people become hyperactive and yell saffronisation when we mention the word Bhagavad Gita? I would not like to recall here what the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and Vinobha Bhave said about the Gita. A Congress chief minister himself had openly said that reading one of two lines from the Bhagavad Gita gives him solace and mental peace. So, will these (Congress) leaders brand them BJP followers? Dr Kasturirangan came out with the idea of the National Education Policy(NEP) to improve the quality of education. Does it mean Dr Kasturirangan is associated with the RSS or BJP? The introduction of Bhagavad Gita in moral education will be decided by an expert committee, not me.

NT: At the time of constituting such important committees, will the government consider the leaning of such individuals-whether they are leftists, rightists or centrists?
BCN : We want nationalists (Rashtravaadis) , we do not consider if they are left or right. It hardly matters which caste or community they belong to. Those who are experts on children’s affairs and have dedicated their life to the cause of children, are selected. Many have said teaching patriotism (rashtraprem) is the real education. The real meaning of education is developing intellectual capacity, social capacity, physical capacity and emotional capacity. Instead, education has been converted into a tool to earn livelihood. Your wards are made to study courses that will fetch them jobs.

NT: Is moral education the need of the hour?
BCN: Yes and why not seeing what’s happening in society. What children need to study is the story of Shravanakumar who sacrificed his life for the sake of his old parents and not the story about a son killing his own father for property. Just because people are not accepting them ( Congress) they are uttering foolish things.

NT: Is NEP being implemented as a replacement for the Macaulay system of education introduced by the British?
BCN: No. The NEP is intended to bring a sea change in education. In fact, many have opposed the Macaulay system, In 1882, Swami Vivekananda spoke against it. When we are trying to set things right, they see politics in it. They must become mature enough to rise above politics.

NT: Will your government remove the entire chapter on Tipu Sultan from textbooks?
BCN: The BJP MLA, Appachu Ranjan put forth a demand to remove the chapter on Tipu from textbooks. He said if you don’t do it, then incorporate the truth. Are conversions done by Tipu and atrocities committed in Kodagu false reports? .He removed Kannada and imposed Persian. Is that false too? Is the injustice meted out to the Mysore royal